Edward weston



(No Model.)

E.. WESTON.

ELECTRICAL INDICATOR.

N0.- 266,Z44. Patented 0ot.1'7, 1882'.

, 4 flfi W4 Mad htbzesses UNTTED STATES ATENT l rrrcn.

EDVARD VESTON, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED STATESELECTRIC LIGHTING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK,'N. Y.

ELECTRICAL INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 266,244, dated October17, 1882.

Application filed October 17, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD WEs'roN, of Newark, in the county of Essexand State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electrical Indicators, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying andforming a part of the same.

My improvements are specially designed for employment in connection witha circuit through which a current of electricity is supplied to a numberof electric lamps, electric motors, or other similar devices.

The object of my invention is mainly to call attention to deviationsfrom the required strength of the current in the circuit and to indicateat any desired point-as, forinstance, at the station where the currentisgenerated the characterand extent of the changes which occur. For thispurpose I make use of an apparatus adapted to be actuated by the currentitself, and which will be capable of indicating variations in theresistance of the circuit and of calling attention to all such as arematerial by sounding an alarmor in any other convenient manner. Themechanism which I may employ for effecting this may evidently be variedin many ways, nor is the invention restricted to the specific deviceshereinafter described, as they form one instance only of many devicescapable of operatingin substantially the same manner for the attainmentof like results. I have adopted, however, as a convenient means ofcarrying out the invention a combination of devices that may, in generalterms, be described as composed of an elec tric helix, with a movablecore, a pivoted lever, or its mechanical equivalent, adapted to becontrolled as to position by the said core and helix, and anelectromagnetic alarm in a circuit which is closed or opened by themovement of the lever. The helix above mentioncd is included-in the mainor operative circuit. so that the position of the lever is dependent atall times upon the strength of the current passing through the circuit.This is taken advantage of to indicate the resistance of the circuit byattaching to thelever a pointor arranged to move over aproperly-graduated scale, and also to close the local or alarm circuitwhen the resistance has increased or diminished beyond certainpredetermined limits. With the above devices, and connected either tothe core or the lever operated thereby, is employed some means ofadjustment-such as a spring or weight-and other details, the nature ofwhich will be more fully explained hereinafter.

The accompanyingdrawings illustrate an apparatus embodying my invention,here shown as contained within a box or case suitable for attachment toa wall in a convenient position to be observed.

Figure l is a side elevation of the apparatus with one of the side wallsand a contiguous portion of the case removed. Fig. 2 is a rear elevationof the apparatus with the rear Wall and a contiguous portion of the caseremoved. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the apparatus through theline y y of Fig. 2.

A represents a case of suitable material and of any desired shape; B, anelectric bell conveniently mounted thereon. Its hammer B is operated byan electro-magnet, b, the coils of which may be either included in ashunt from the main circuit, or. as represented, in a. local circuitcomposed ofthe wire I), connected with one pole of the battery, 6 andthe Wire b connected with the other pole ofthe battery and with the baseof the metallic standard 0, which affords the bearings c for thehorizontal shaft D of a lever, E.

To the top of the lever E are aflixed two metallic contact-pieces,consisting of light springs c and c, projecting up in position to bebrought in contact respectively, as the lever tilts in either direction,with the ends of adjustable contact-screws b b ,electricallyconnectedwith one another, and by means of the wire I) with the coils of theelectro-magnet b of the alarm, the disposition'and adjustment of theparts being such that when the lever stands in a horizontal positionneither of the springs is in contact with the screws, and the shunt orlocal circuit is then open 5 but by the tilting 5 of the lever in eitherdirection one or other of the contact-springs makes contact with the endof one or other of the screws, and thereby closes the local circuit andrings the hell.

I would here state that the springs and con- I00 tact-points may hesupplanted by various other circuit-closing devices of a similarkind--for example, a pair of rods or wires attached to the lever anddipping into mercury'cups; or the springs may be arranged to slide overthe contact-plates, as is well understood by those skilled in the art.

The position of the lever E is governed by the helices F and cores G.The coils composing said helices are designed to form a path for thewhole or a portion of the main or operative current, connecting-wires F,allixed to the inner ends of the binding-posts 1 ,10 which themain-circuit wires 1 are brought, being employed for introducing thecurrent.

The movable cores G of the solenoids are fixed to the cross-bar G, whichis connected by means of the pitman (l with the end G of the lever E.The opposite end of the lever has fastened to it the upper end of thespiral spring g, the lower end of which is connected to the adjustablebell-crank lever g, pivoted in the standard and adjusted by means of theset-screw g Sutlicient range of movement is providedforthebell-crankleverg to permit the tension of the spiral spring to beso adjusted that the lever B will occupy a horizontal position when thecurrent in the operative circuit is of the desired strength, theorganization being such that when the current increases beyond thedesired strength, owing to removals of resistance in the circuit orother causes, the attractive force of the helicespulls down the end ofthe lever with which the cores are connected. ()n the other hand, whenthe current diminishes below what is required the spring y preponderatesand draws the other end or the lever down.

The shaft 1), upon which the lever E is mounted, extends through thefront wall, a, of the case, and has atlixed to it the pointer-(I, whichoscillates in front of the scale (1, arbitrarily graduated to indicateiesistance or current units, or otherwise, and shown in dotted lines inFig. 2. The central portion of the scale is conveniently selected as thezero or starting point, and the graduations made oil to either side inany proper manner.

In operation, when the pointer stands vertt cally the bell is silent;but if it swings to either side of the center the local circuit isclosed and the bell set ringin ,Ey this means attention is directed tothe change of the electrical condition of the line. The amount ordirection of the change will be indicated by the pointer, the movementof which is not perceptibly impeded by the contact-springs, which arevery light and pliable.

By means of the above-described devices a person at any point along theline of an electrical circuit, or at the station where the current isgenerated, may he advised at all times of the number of lamps, motors,or other devices that are running by an inspection of the indicator,while the alarm serves to call attention to the removal or insertion oflamps or other devices along the line, thus affording information ofwhat steps are necessary for an increased or diminished supply ofcurrent.

As stated above, the. devices described may be greatly moditied. Forinstance, it is evident that many forms of magnets, helices, andarmatures or cores may be utilized. So, too, the devices employed forindicating the changes of the condition of the line and for closing thelocal circuit may he correspondingly varied and modified withoutdeparting from theinvention.

Having now described my invention and illustrated the best manner ofwhich I am at present aware for carrying the same into efl'ect, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with an clectrical indicator substantially such asdescribed, and included in a main circuit, of an alarm mechanismincluded in an independent or shunt circuit, and a circuit-closeradapted to be operated by the indicator without arresting the movementof the same, and thereby close the circuit through the alarm,substantially in the manner set forth.

2. An electro-magnet having its coils included in an operative electriccircuit and its core in conjunction with yielding con tact'pieces forclosing a shunt or local circuit, and operating an electrical alarm, incombination with a graduated scale and index-arm connected with the saidcore, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

EDWARD WEITON.

\Vitnesses:

it. F. Bituwns, \V. FRIS'BY.

